Jonylah Watkins, 6-month-old shot, dies

A six-month-old infant who was shot along with her father while he changed her diaper and was in critical condition Monday has died.

Jonylah Watkins died Tuesday morning at Comer Children's Hospital in Chicago, despite surgeons' efforts to save the infant girl's life after she suffered bullet wounds in her lung, liver, leg, shoulder and bowel or intestine.

Her father, Jonathan Watkins, 29, was shot in the side, buttock and suffered a graze wound on his face as he stood in the passenger door of his minivan while changing Jonylah's diaper.

Police told the Chicago Tribune they have few leads toward identifying the perpetrator of the shooting, which occurred in the Woodlawn neighborhood of the South Side around 1 p.m. Monday.

Police believe they have video of a blue van, to which the gunman apparently fled before speeding away. Watkins, police said, is a gang member with a history of arrests for drug and illegal weapons possession.

"It appears he's the intended victim, exclusively the father," said Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy. "He's in a lot of pain."

The Rev. Corey Brooks, acting spokesman for the family, said the New Beginnings Church in Woodlawn was offering a $5,000 reward leading to the gunman.

"We're going to help find who did this," Brooks said. "We're going to take back our neighborhood, we're going to find who did this."

United Press International is a leading provider of news, photos and information to millions of readers around the globe via UPI.com and its licensing services.

With a history of reliable reporting dating back to 1907, today's UPI is a credible source for the most important stories of the day, continually updated - a one-stop site for U.S. and world news, as well as entertainment, trends, science, health and stunning photography. UPI also provides insightful reports on key topics of geopolitical importance, including energy and security.

A Spanish version of the site reaches millions of readers in Latin America and beyond.

UPI was founded in 1907 by E.W. Scripps as the United Press (UP). It became known as UPI after a merger with the International News Service in 1958, which was founded in 1909 by William Randolph Hearst. Today, UPI is owned by News World Communications.